Curiosities of the Civil War

Packed with obscurities and bizarre anecdotes, it spills over with specifics you’ve likely never heard. Debated, reenacted, and analyzed, the Civil War has been the subject of countless books, films, and scholarly research—many of them quite repetitious. This nuanced perspective on the war provides a glimpse beyond the bloody battles, casualties, and political conflict.

Civil War buffs, be warned: Webb Garrison’s Curiosities of the Civil War may catch you off guard.

Packed with obscurities and bizarre anecdotes, it spills over with specifics you’ve likely never heard. Debated, reenacted, and analyzed, the Civil War has been the subject of countless books, films, and scholarly research—many of them quite repetitious. This nuanced perspective on the war provides a glimpse beyond the bloody battles, casualties, and political conflict. You'll discover:

The first sitting president to be exposed to enemy fire

What badgers, pigeons, and bear cubs had in common during the war

Which of Stonewall Jackson’s limbs received its own proper burial

The turtle-shaped ship designed to douse its opponents with boiling water

Which Confederate general was responsible for introducing camels to the Southwest

This cache of peculiar characters and stories will deepen your understanding of the war and the people who engaged in it.

Contributor(s)

Webb Garrison

About the Contributor(s)

Webb GarrisonWebb Garrison, formerly associate dean of Emory University and president of McKendree College, wrote more than 55 books, including Civil War Curiosities and Civil War Trivia and Fact Book. Before his death in 2000, Garrison lived in Lake Junaluska, North Carolina.